Apparatus for salting water



OC. 13, W T RUNCIE APPARATUS FOR SALTING WATER Filed May 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L l5 je 44 xNvr-:NTOR

:i ATTORNE oct. 13, 193'6. w T. RUNCIE 2,057,208

APPARATUS FOR SALTING WATER Filed May 27, 1933 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A2 'Il Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITEosTATEs PATENT; OFFICE 8 Claims.

'Ihis invention -relates in general to improvements in a method and apparatus for the treatment of water to be used in swimming pools and in particular to that which will provide for a salt content as well as for, an eiiicient circulation and purification. v v

An object of the invention is to provide a system of water circulation and purification so as to render the water suitable for bathing purposes subject it in mostl casesl to clarification and sterilization treatment as well 'as to introduce salt, or other materials to soften it. However, in such systems, as the water is added from time to time the newly added water is either not salted, or a separate reservoir of salt water is prepared and introducedhinto the system as a distinct and separate function, so that when the water in the pool rises to' or falls below a prescribed 1level, the replenishing of the salt water in the pool involves a manual control by an attendant.

With this in view therefore and in following out the objects of my invention I propose to provide a salt bath for the water as it lcomes from its source, after which I may subject it to clarification, if necessary, and sterilization on its way to the pool. I provide the pool with suitable inlets and drains. I may also provide waste and overflow returns to that portion' of .the systemincluding the clarification and' sterilization equipment, but I preferably by-pass this pool return Water so that it is not again subjected to a salt bathl I further propose to arrange a oat conand in the details of construction generally-hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments there'- 'of being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top .plan view of the system Ashowing the pool, inlets vto the-pool,A

',oat chamber, regulating valve, saltbath, etc. to the exclusion of the clarification and sterilization equipment; l

Figure 2 is a view in section taken along line 2 2 of Figure l; Y

Figure 3 is a View in section taken -along line 3 3 of Figure l; y

Figure 4 is a view in section taken along line 4 4 of Figure 2; l Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the salt bath and regulating valve;

Figure 6 is ay view, in section taken along line 6 6 of Figure 5. Referring more particularly to the drawings the pool is shown at I and there. is indicated at 2 an inlet, of which there may be any suitable number, to the pool for the water after it has or has not been clarified and sterilized or otherwise treated. This pool may be provided with any number of drains or outlet returns one of such drains being illustrated at 3 which consists of a pipe 4 extending into a chamber 5. This chamber 5 is usually provided with a drain such as shown at 42 and also with a` screen 6 to catch relatively large foreign particles andthe cham'- 25 ber itself is adapted to act as a sump, its walls 'I being of approximately the same height as the walls 8 of the swimming pool, or any other suitable equivalent arrangement.

Adjacent the sump is arranged another chamber forming a salt vbath which is provided with walls 9 of the same height as the sump chamber, the intermediate wall I0 between the two chambers being provided with a Weir or passage I I between the two. The salt bath chamber is usually provided with a drain such as shown at 42' and also a manifold including a. central pipe I2 and a series of laterally spaced tubes I3 which y are suitably perforated in order to cause an equal distribution of the Water as it enters the chamber. This manifold may be replaced if found desirable with a perforated plate which extends over the cross section of `the chamber above the inlet. Above and below this manifold may or may not be disposed any desirablequantity of gravel upon which the salt may be deposited to effect a thorough mixture of salt and water as the water is introduced through the .manifold or a perforated plate, from the inlet pipe -I4 from any suitable source. r

For purposes of convenience the various clarification and sterilzation apparatus which may be of any suitable type for the cleansing and purification and treatment of the water is merely indicated in the drawings and the inlet and outlet water source may be pumped or otherwise led through a separate pipe Il and first of all is subiected tov the salt bath after which it may be pumped or otherwise directed to join the pool return water and pass out through the conveyer I5 together with the pool return water to be subjected to thevarious devices for puriflcation or be passed directly to the pool without clarication and/or sterilization.

Besides providing for a means for maintaining the salt content `of the water in the pool by subjecting the incoming new water to a salt bath and by-passing the salted poel return water around the salt bath, there is also provided a meansfor automatically-introducing new salted water as soon as the pool water recedes below a predetermined level. 'Ihis is brought about by the provision of a' iloat control valve which may take the form shown in Figures l to 4 inclusive and which consists of a iloat chamber I6 in which there is slidably arranged a float I'I carried by a slidable stem I8. This oat chamber is pre'ferably arranged outside .of any mixing chamber and may be secured to the wall ll between the mixing 'chambers and the pool by su'itable brackets l5 secured to the wall 4I at 43 and 'Ihe iloat chamber has an inlet I9 in communication with alpipe 20 extending into the sump 5 or 2, the water level in the iloat chamber will recede and as the oat I1 falls downwardly, due to the force of gravity, the stem I8 will naturally also so downward. This downward movement of the stem I8 due to its sliding connection at 22 in a slot 24 ofy an arm 25 causes the latter to be depressed and moved about a pivot 26. The arm 25 is also pivoted at 21 to asuitable bracket 28 so as to force a plunger 29 downwardly which results in the Opening-oi.' a valve 44, the-interior of which vthe pipe I4 from the water source.

the fresh water to ,be introduced 4through the is not shown, to allow the ingress of water through This causes- As an alternateform Figures 5 and 6 showan inlet pipe l from the pool and an outlet pipe YI5 to the clarication and sterilization apparatus for pool .or reservoir. this modification the fresh water may be introduced through the inlet pipe I4 and allowed to stand at a predetermined level and the float regulating valve 33 may be actuated by means of a oat 34 and an actuating arm 35 carried thereby so .that as the water supply in the salt bath chamber isvdiminishe'd by circulation or otherwise below a certain predetermined level the 4valve may be actuated so as to be opened and allow more fresh water to be introduced into the salt bath chamber which is indicated at 36, the salt, gravel and the like being shown in the bottom thereof at 31. The adjacent chamber 28 may be provided with a screen 39 for the collection of relatively large foreign particles, and the two chambers may be provided with a suitable communication passage lil at the lower part of A the chambers 36 and 3B.

In connection with the form of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 which provides for a circulation of water as described in connection therewith, I may nd it desirable to reverse the flow of water to and from the pool. The new salted water may be by-passed around the screen sump 5 and be directly introduced into the pool instead of passing it through the lter. In either of these casesthe control water line to float pot would be connected directly into the pool to receive its `supply therefrom for iloat and automatic valve operation.

I claim:

1. IIn a water circulation system, a main reservoir, a salt chamber, an inlet thereinto for water from a suitable source into said salt chamber. said system including drain from said reservoir, and a valve means for automatically controlling theiggress of water from said source into the salt chambe'as the water in said reservoir rises to or falls below avpredetermined level, a sump in communication with said reservoir and a screen arranged in\ said sump, said automatic valve means comprising a valve and a iloat chamber in communication with the water in said sump returned from said reservoir, the water level in said iloat chamber being adapted to maintain substantially the Asame height as that of said sump and reservoir.

2. In a water circulation system, a main reservoir, a. salt chamber, an inlet therelnto for water from a suitable source into said salt chamber, an

apparatus for treatment and puriiication of the a sump, a drain conduitleading into said sump A .from said reservoir, a screen arranged in said sump, said automatic valve means comprising a` valve and a iloat chamber in communication with the water in said sump returned from said reservoir, the water level in said iloat chamber being adapted to maintain the same height as that of said sump and reservoir.

3. In a water circulation system, a main reservoir, a salt chamber, an inlet thereinto for water from a suitable source into said salt chamber,

and a by-pass for water returning from said reservoir, said by-pass being out of communication with said salt chamber, and a valve means for automatically controlling the ingress of ter from said source into the salt chamber as ne water in said reservoir rises to or falls'be- /low a predetermined level, a sump, a drain conduit leading into said sump from said reservoir, a screen arranged in said sump,l said automatil 'lli valve means comprising a valve and 'a iloat chamber in communication with the water in saidsump returned fromy said reservoir. the water level in said float chamber being adapted to maintain the same height as that of said 'sump and reservoir. v

4. In a water circulation system, a main reservoir, a salt chamber. an inlet thereinto for water from a. suitable source into said salt chamber. and a valve means for automatically controlling. the ingress of water from said source into the salt .chamber as the water in said-reservoir 'rises to or falls below aV predetermined level, a sump. a`

drai'ncondult leading into said sump from said reservoir. a'screen arranged in said sump, said automatic'valve means comprising a valve andl an exterlorly located iloat chamber and oat therein for operating said valve, said chamber being in communication with the water in said sump `returned from said reservoir, the water 'level in said iloat chamber being adapted Ato maintain the same height as that' of said sump and reservoir. Y

,"5.l In awater circulation system, a main reservoir, a sump and a' salt chamber, an inlet for fresh water inta said salt chamber, an inlet into said'sump from said salt chamber,v a drain from said-reservoir out of communication'with said salt chamber, and a passage for water from said sump, and from said drain, into said 'resarvoir.

D. Inamcirculationsrstumamainrer voir, a sump and a salt chamber." aninlet for fresh water into said salt chamber, an inlet into saidsumpfromsaid aaltchambenadrainfrom said reservoir out of communication with said sait, chamber, a passage for water` from said sump. Aand from said drain. into said reservoir; and valvemeans' for automatically controlling the-ingress of fresh water into said salt chamber as the water in said reservoir rises to orfalls below a predetermined level.

7. In a water circulation'system. amain reservoir, a -sump and a salt chamber, an inlet for fresh water into said saltchamber, an outlet from -said salt chamber into said'sump, a drain from said reservoir into said sump and out of communication with said Asalt chamber. and a passagev for water from 'said sump into` said reservoir.

8. In a water circulation system, a main reservoir. a sump and a salt chamber, an inlet for fresh water into said salt chamber, an outlet from said salt chamber lntosaid sump; a drain from said reservoir into said sump and out ofcommunication with said salt chamber, a passage for water from said sump into said-reservoir, and

valve means for automatically conticlling thev ingress of fresh water to said salt chamber as the water insaid reservoir rises to or falls a-.predetermined level. 

